


watching is worse (the second time around)

by Fandomcraziness22



Series: the second time around [1]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, but then it comes back to canon, kinda canon-divergent, sorry in advance, the boys are in pain, the jolts hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:15:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27461806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandomcraziness22/pseuds/Fandomcraziness22
Summary: What if the jolts had lasted a little longer before Julie could give her boys the magic hug?Takes place during 1x09 after the Orpheum performance, Julie's povWritten for JATP Appreciation Week Day 7: write something set in canon-verse (mine's a little canon divergent, sorrynotsorry)
Relationships: Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Series: the second time around [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2006419
Comments: 8
Kudos: 180
Collections: JATP Appreciation Week





	watching is worse (the second time around)

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this a few weeks ago, then JATP week gave me the motivation to finish it!  
> Find the boys' pov in the companion, Dying is Harder (the second time around)

Julie opened the doors to her mother’s studio, where she knew she wouldn’t find anything. The lights were off, and she stared into the darkness. She was glad her boys had made it through their last performance. She could guess what had happened to make them late, with the way they were dressed and how Luke flickered a few times before finally breaking whatever hold Caleb had on them. She would never know the full exact truth, but she was glad they had gotten their unfinished business done in time. They had crossed over. Her job was done.

She took a deep breath and spoke softly to the air. “I…. I know I already said this, but… thank you guys.” The simplicity of it gave her the closure she needed.

“You’re welcome,” a strained voice called from the darkness. A sigh and muffled “Dude,” were also heard. Confused, Julie walked to the light switch and flicked it on. She was greeted with the sight of her bandmates sprawled on the floor. They seemed to be laying in a triangle, Reggie closest to her, Alex and Luke’s heads by one another. They all winced at the brightness of the lights. Julie walked back to stare at them in shock. She started slowly forward as Luke lifted his head to look at her.

“Wha—why are you here?” she asked, her voice thick with unshed tears. “I thought—” Julie was cut off as she witnessed all three boys get hit with one of those jolts, grunts of pain coming from them. She had only seen Luke get hit once, after she had shown his parents the song. That had been hard enough to witness. Seeing all three of them in pain all at once? Julie’s tears started immediately.

“No, no. I thought you crossed over. Why didn’t you cross over?”

The boys separated and found things to lean against. Luke leaned back into the piano leg, Reggie the armchair, and Alex the speakers against the wall. Alex answered Julie. “I guess playing the Orpheum wasn’t our unfinished business.”

“Point: Caleb,” Reggie added. Julie could see that all of them had been crying, and she wondered how long they had been sitting there in pain. Obviously, a while.

Luke answered her unasked question. “We wanted you to think that we crossed over, so we pretended to. We just…” he stopped and looked down. Shaking his head, he looked at her and echoed his words from weeks ago. “We had nowhere else to go.”

Julie’s heart broke at his tear-stained face. She knew how true that was; none of the boys had a home anymore. This studio was all they had.

Reggie added, “We thought you’d go straight to bed.”

Alex stood, leaning against the amp and said, “Yeah, well, I knew she was gonna come out here but nobody ever listens to me—” Another jolt hit them as they all folded in half, holding their stomachs in pain.

Julie decided that was enough watching. She couldn’t stand seeing them so obviously hurting. She ached to hold them, hug them, do something to ease their pain. But the best she could do was try to convince them. She ran to Reggie and said, “You have to save yourself, right now.” She turned to Alex. “Go join Caleb’s club.” Then Luke. “Please, it’s better than not existing at all.” Julie turned away and moved towards the door, trying to encourage them. Begging them. “Please, just go. Go. Poof out, do something. Please, do it for me. Please,” she pleaded.

Reggie, now properly sitting in the armchair, crushed her hopes. “We’re not going back there,” he said firmly.

Luke walked towards her. A tear ran down his face as he said, “No music is worth making, Julie, if we aren’t making it with you.” Julie’s breath hitched as the words made their impact. For Luke, everything was about the music. It was how he felt the world, how he saw people, how he connected with them. Playing music meant everything to him. Hearing him say that she had an impact in his life, and such an important one at that, was not lost on her.

“No regrets,” he breathed. They stared at each other, soaking up the emotion. The moment was cut short as Luke doubled over, the jolt send him back to the floor in an instant. Julie gasped and knelt down beside him, looking over to see Alex also on the floor with Reggie clutching the armrest.

“They’re getting worse,” Alex gasped. Reggie nodded and Luke grimaced.

Julie had never cursed her situation before. Yes, she had been annoyed with the boys many times, and had wanted to kill them all over again when they hadn’t shown up to her school dance to perform. But she had never once cursed the strangeness that was having three bandmates who were ghosts. Now? She couldn’t even touch them to bring them comfort. She felt cursed, in this moment. What was the point of being able to see the ghosts if she couldn’t help them?

Luke glanced up at her. “You should go,” he ground out. “There’s nothing left to do.”

Julie immediately protested. “No, there’s no way I’m leaving you guys.” But Alex was nodding. Reggie simply looked scared, but he wasn’t about to disagree with his bandmates.

“Please, Julie,” Alex said softly. Another jolt, another pained groan around the room. “You can’t help us. Please, I don’t want you to be here when we go.” Julie’s tears streamed down her face as she looked at the three boys among the room.

She shook her head. “No, I can’t leave you. I won’t. I wasn’t there when my mom died, my dad wouldn’t let me and Carlos stay. And I have regretted not putting up a fight to stay with her every day. I’m not going to abandon you.” She looked to Reggie, who hadn’t tried to convince her to leave yet. “Please let me stay.”

Reggie’s face contorted as another jolt hit. They were definitely coming closer together now. He stared at her teary face. Julie begged him with her eyes, wishing with all her heart that he could be the voice of reason. They stared for a moment longer, then Reggie sighed. “I think she should stay.” Julie sent him a small nod in thanks.

Alex and Luke looked at each other, but they knew they couldn’t say no to both Reggie and Julie. And secretly, both were glad of the comfort. Neither of them truly wanted Julie to leave.

Julie’s face brightened the tiniest fraction. “I’m gonna open the couch bed so you guys don’t have to lay on the floor.” She stood up, swiped at her face, and moved quickly to do just that. It was the only thing she could think of to help them.

Luke nodded and reached behind him to grab Reggie’s leg. He needed human contact to get through this. Alex moved closer to the chair and Reggie grabbed his arm in response. He tapped Luke’s arm too, as if to remind him that he was not alone.

Julie finished making the bed, grabbing a sheet from the corner and pillows from around the room. She turned back to her band, who were now all curled around Reggie’s armchair. She smiled softly through her tear-stained face. “It’s ready,” she called to them.

Alex was the first to get up, with Reggie standing and reaching down to help Luke up. All three stumbled over to the couch-bed and plopped down, face first. Julie let out a watery giggle, unable to fathom how these three still had it in them to goof off. “You dorks,” she whispered, rolling her eyes.

Luke turned over onto his back, looking up at Julie. “Thanks,” he said simply. Another jolt, another wince. Julie could tell that Luke was doing his best not to make more noise, and she silently wished he didn’t feel the need to put on a brave face in front of her.

Reggie and Alex both turned onto their sides, Luke sandwiched in the middle. Julie stood over the bed, wishing there was more she could do. She stared down at her bandmates, heart aching. Luke’s hands were clutching Alex and Reggie, and when the next jolt hit, she could see him squeeze their hands in an attempt to stop the pain. She winced along with them, tears once again streaming down her face. This reminded her so much of her mom, watching and not being able to help at all.

“What do you guys need?” She asked faintly.

Reggie nodded to the top of the bed. “Join us,” he said simply.

Julie nodded slowly and moved around the bed, pausing near the couch arm. This felt useless, and hopeless. Julie couldn’t be strong for them the way her mom had always been strong for her and Carlos. But she shook herself. She couldn’t touch them, sure, but she could still give them support when they needed it. They had helped her find music again, helped her grieve her mom, after all. She watched another jolt, and then climbed up onto the bed, being careful not to pass through any of the boys.

Alex was the first to turn and sit up towards her. “Thank you, Julie, for giving us this second chance. I know I said this before, but you’re the best thing that happened to us. So thanks for sticking with us.”

Julie recognized a goodbye speech when she heard one, and it made her cry all the harder. “Thanks, Alex,” she whispered, unable to form more words.

Reggie went next, waiting out another jolt before speaking. “Thanks for sharing your family and your home with us. Watch out for Carlos and Ray for me, ok? They love you, and I do too.”

Julie nodded and again could only whisper a thanks. She clutch the sheets as another jolt rocked the boys, this one longer than most of the other ones. The boys moaned and clasped each other’s hands. Julie had never wanted to hug someone so badly in her life. At least she had been able to hold her mom’s hand as she said goodbye.

Luke finally joined his brothers in sitting up towards Julie, leaning on them for comfort. “Julie, I can’t even begin to describe how amazing this time has been. You are insanely talented and I can never thank you enough for what you did for my parents. Please keep playing music. The world needs to hear you.”

Julie sobbed as Luke finished his speech. She could barely see him through her tears. Luke moved to his knees, scooting forward till he was right in front of Julie. All three boys had become so important to her in the last month. She couldn’t even count the number of ways her band had warmed her heart and helped guide her through the emotions and craziness that had become her life. Joining a ghost band hadn’t been in Julie’s plan for her life this year, but it had been the best month of her life.

Julie couldn’t hold herself back anymore. Without thinking, she threw her arms around Luke’s shoulders, wrapping him in the fiercest hug. “I love you guys,” she whimpered. It was all she could manage to voice. Their goodbyes, as simple as they were, had undone her. Luke’s arms wrapped around her small body, pulling her closer. She rested her chin on his shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut as she said goodbye the only way she knew how.

Then she realized what she was doing. She was hugging Luke! She was touching him and her arms weren’t phasing through his. She pulled back slightly to look at him, eyes wide in wonder. She noticed he seemed to be glowing as his hands slid down to grasp her hands.

“How can I feel you?” she asked, her voice ragged from crying. Luke also seemed stunned.

“I don’t know,” he answered softly.

Julie gasped and reached to cup his face. She could feel the dried tears beneath her fingers, could feel his skin cool to the touch. Luke responded in kind, wiping a stray tear away as his fingers traced her cheeks. They smiled at each other, lost in wonder at finally being able to physically feel the other. Julie’s hands slid down into Luke’s chest, where he grabbed them tightly.

“I feel stronger,” he said, turning to look at Reggie, then Alex.

They all exchanged confused but hopeful glances, and Julie needed no more motivation to reach toward her boys. “Alex, Reggie, come.”

They both lunged forward, almost toppling Luke over, and wrapped Julie in a large hug. She sunk down into the bed as the weight of the three boys came over her. She sniffled as they hugged tightly, then pulled back to look at each other in shock. She noticed that all three of them were glowing now.

Reggie noticed it too. “Whoa,” he said. “I don’t feel as weak anymore.”

“Yeah, me neither,” Alex said. “Not that, you know, I was ever that weak,” he quickly joked. Everyone let out a slight laugh, Julie’s still watery from all the crying.

The boys felt a tug at their wrist, where Caleb’s stamp was. They pulled back to grasp it, and all four of them watched as the stamp floated off of the boys and into the air, dissipating as it went. They all craned their necks to watch it go.

“What do you think that means?” Julie asked.

Luke smiled and looked at their savior, this girl who had already done so much for them. “I think the band’s back,” he said simply.

Julie smile too, and looked around at her wonderful bandmates. The boys who had brought her music back, who had changed her life so completely.

Alex seemed hesitant but asked, “You guys think we could try that hug thing one more time?”

Julie laughed and nodded, pulling the boys back towards her in a huge hug. She squeezed Reggie and Alex, and she could feel Luke’s hand over hers around their friends.

They pulled back and Reggie smiled. “I like this.”

“Me too,” Julie agreed. “Come here.” She grabbed Alex’s arm to start another group hug, but he wasn’t as ready for it. He yelped as she pulled him forward, the momentum carrying Julie backwards as she landed on her back. Alex was on top of her, and started to panic, but Julie just giggled.

“Geez, Alex, it looks like you’ve fallen for me.” She grinned as Alex immediately protested and rolled off of her.

Reggie laughed, and Luke smiled. “I’ve got an idea,” Reggie said. “Cuddle time!” He launched himself from his sitting position to lay right next to Julie on her right. She laughed again, and Luke couldn’t stop himself.

“Well if that’s how we’re doing things.” Julie watched as Luke very comfortably flopped right on top of Reggie, earning him an “oof!” and a shove to the side. The two of them bean punching each other, lightheartedly fighting for the spot.

Alex sighed. “He used to do that to all of us. And he’s surprisingly hard to get rid of,” he told Julie, turning onto his side to watch his friends duke it out.

Julie laughed, then sighed and closed her eyes. She wiped the last of her tears as relief settled deep in her chest. Her band wasn’t gone. They were all ok. Everything would be ok.

And for the first time since she joined a ghost band, she slugged Luke’s arm and said (probably not for the last time, she imagined), “Hey! No fighting during a cuddle party.”


End file.
